Cool off with Ranger Creek on Memorial Day

So what if the swimming pools open this weekend. Kevin Floyd has a much better way to cool off.

Floyd, co-owner of Anvil Bar & Refuge and the forthcoming Hay Merchant (more on that below), is hosting Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling for a series of side-by-sides on Monday, May 30. On tap will be all four of the brewery’s year-round beers, plus at least four special variations.

So, if you’re planning to suffer over the grill, make sure you’re done by 4 p.m., when Anvil, 1424 Westheimer, opens. Ranger Creek owner Mark McDavid and brewmaster Rob Landerman will be around for a meet-and-greet, and Floyd says this will be the most extensive local offering to date from the San Antonio brewery that opened late last year and still has limited distribution in Houston.

“They’re an exciting little brewery,” said Floyd. “They make excellent beers, and I’m just stoked to have them.”

In promotional materials, Floyd was a little more expansive:

Ranger Creek’s philosophy to make quality products in small batches by hand mirrors our craft approach to cocktails at Anvil, so it’s a great match for us. And I know that Anvil’s loyal beer regulars will enjoy meeting Mark and Rob to learn more about their brewing processes and taste some of the limited releases and side-by-sides we are tapping for the holiday.

Here’s the lineup, per the folks at Anvil:

South Texas Lager

The Ranger Creek guys think San Antonio deserves a craft beer it can call its own, and this is what they came up with… Made in the traditional style of a German Dortmunder-Export, this delicately balanced and refreshing beer is crafted to complement the hot Texas summer. With earthy, spicy, and herbal hints of German Tettnang hops, the subtly sweet malt flavor and herbal hop character give way to a crisp, dry finish.

Spanish for ‘the beast’ and French for ‘friendly’ in honor of Texas’ French and Mexican heritages, La Bestia Amaible is a traditional Belgian-style dark strong ale. Crafted with Belgian malts and candi-syrup, along with Texas Hill Country honey and German noble hops, the beer offers a rich, complex nose of deep berry and fig with cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper notes, and a full-bodied brew of rich, dark fruit flavors. Brew Master Rob Landerman has made two barrel-aged versions to compare against the keg in a rare three way side-by-side tasting:

– the only cask of the brew that has been aged for 5-months in a French Oak Cabernet barrel

Notes Landerman, “The differences between La Bestia and its barrel-aged versions are both slight and dramatic. The deep fruit character is played off by the wines used, adding more tartness, a deeper berry character, some more acidity, and increased dryness.”

Oatmeal Pale Ale

A second side-by-side features the Oatmeal Pale Ale and a cask-conditioned OPA. Master Brewer Landerman reports that “We have prepared a firkin of cask-conditioned Oatmeal Pale Ale, our signature American-style Pale Ale made with floor-malted Maris Otter 2-row base malt, malted oats, and American Crystal malt, with US grown Centennial and Citra hops. This firkin has been dry-hopped with Cascade and Centennial whole hops.”

Mesquite Smoked Porter

Ranger Creek Mesquite Smoked Porter is brewed with Texas mesquite house-smoked malt for a special touch of local flavor. In this side-by-side, compare the keg against a version that has been barrel aged for 6 months in a French Oak Cabernet Barrel from the Texas Hill Country’s Dry Comal Creek winery. Landerman observes “The Porter is deeply complex, with roasty, smoky, chocolaty characteristics that blend well with the dryness, acidity, and complex berry and fruit character of the Cabernet barrel.”

Floyd said there’s a chance Ranger Creek could have a fifth special keg, but that depends on whether it’s ready by the time the boys from Ranger Creek saddle up.

HAY MERCHANT UPDATE: While I had him on the phone, I asked Floyd for an update on Hay Merchant, his planned “craft beer and food” place that generated so much buzz when it was announced earlier this year.

He said he recently submitted drawings to the city and he remains confident of an early October opening for the new place, at 1100 Westheimer, in the former Chances location.

That quickly led to an aside about Floyd’s recent, week-long busman’s holiday to Belgium:

“It was inspiring,” he said. “I drank a lot of beer and got to talk to a lot of folks.”

Most impressive, said Floyd, was the commitment to service he found in every establishment. Whether they were working at a fancy beer bar or a nondescript neighborhood hangout, every bartender poured a perfect beer.

That, said Floyd, is just one of the things we can expect at Hay Merchant.